2026 Atlanta Black Tech Community Summit by Goodie Nation | We Have Friends Everywhere
The 2026 State of the Atlanta Black Tech Community Summit convenes the ecosystem at what is likely the most consequential inflection point in the history of Atlanta Black Tech.
The community is navigating a convergence of pressures that cannot be addressed in isolation. A hostile political environment is reshaping access, funding, and institutional support. AI has rapidly disrupted the technology sector, fundamentally changing how work is done, who is hired, and what skills are valued. Mass layoffs across the tech industry have disproportionately impacted Black professionals in Atlanta, with Black women bearing the greatest burden. At the same time, economic conditions continue to tighten. inflation is rising, housing costs are increasing, and job security is declining, with projections indicating further strain ahead. Public education systems, from the federal to the local level, remain under-resourced and unstable, weakening traditional talent pipelines into technology careers.
And yet, in the midst of this disruption, Atlanta stands on the cusp of extraordinary global opportunity.
As the city prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Atlanta will become a focal point for international investment, corporate engagement, cultural exchange, and economic activity. For the Atlanta Black Tech community, this moment presents both risk and possibility. Without coordination and preparation, opportunity will bypass the community. With intention, alignment, and skill-building, it can become a catalyst for revenue generation, increased visibility, and durable global relationships.
Guided by the theme “We Have Friends Everywhere,” the 2026 summit serves as a strategic gathering to help the community move from vulnerability to leverage. The summit centers on two urgent priorities:
AI Upskilling and Education: equipping Black technologists, founders, operators, community leaders, and students with the knowledge and tools needed to remain competitive, build resilient businesses, and lead in an AI-driven economy.
World Cup Readiness and Opportunity: translating global attention into tangible outcomes for Black-owned tech companies, creatives, and professionals through contracts, partnerships, and long-term relationships.
Through a series of facilitated conversations, the summit will confront hard realities while offering practical pathways forward focusing on economic resilience, workforce reinvention, founder sustainability, and collective positioning. It is a space for alignment, not abstraction; for strategy, not speculation.
The 2026 State of the Atlanta Black Tech Community Summit is not simply a reflection on where the community stands, it is a coordinated response to where the world is headed. As Atlanta steps onto the global stage, this summit ensures the Black tech community is prepared, connected, and positioned to shape what comes next...together, with friends everywhere.
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ATL Black Tech is a program of Goodie Nation, a non-profit dedicated to closing the Relationship in the Innovation Economy. Please consider making a donation to the program at https://www.pledge.to/abt